Method for printing electronic tickets

ABSTRACT

This invention determines the printer and paper that are used to print an electronic ticket and allows the purchaser of the ticket to check the quality of the printed ticket. The system will first capture the ticket purchaser&#39;s printer type and configuration setting information, paper, ink, or toner combination and then use the foregoing information to determine if the ticket purchaser&#39;s computer printer can print an acceptable ticket. The ticket purchaser will also be given an opportunity to print a test pattern so that the purchaser will be able to check the print quality of the printer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to commonly assigned copending patent application Ser.No. 09/575,312 filed herewith entitled “A Method For Issuing ElectronicTickets” in the name of Ronald P. Sansone; Ser. No. 09/573,364 filedherewith entitled “A Method For Reading Electronic Tickets” in the nameof Ronald P. Sansone; and Ser. No. 09/575,314 filed herewith entitled “AMethod For Automatically Reading Electronic Tickets” in the name ofRonald P. Sansone.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention relates to a method for printing tickets at remotelocations and, more particularly, to printing readable tickets at remotelocations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tickets such as concert, theater, movie, museum, trade show, airline andsports tickets, etc., are documents having a substantial, intrinsicvalue which, typically, may be presented by any bearer to gainadmittance or exercise an entitlement. Since such tickets may havesubstantial cash value, there exists a continuing problem of preventingthe issuance of fraudulent tickets.

The issuance of many types of tickets, such as theater tickets, iscurrently controlled by means of controlled supplies (e.g. serializedticket stock, specially printed ticket stock, etc.) and by allowingtickets to be issued only by controlled, authorized issuers (e.g. ticketagents). Controlled supplies are expensive, difficult to control, andprone to theft or counterfeiting. Typically, one stood in line topurchase a ticket at the place the event was being held or purchased theticket over the phone from an authorized ticket agent who mailed theticket to the purchaser.

Currently, ticketing companies are giving purchasers the option ofprinting their electronic tickets at home using ordinary paper, apersonal computer printer and an Internet connection. One of theproblems in allowing people to print tickets at home is to ensure thatthe tickets are not counterfeit. One of the solutions suggested to solvethe foregoing problem is to print an encrypted bar code on the ticket.Recent studies have shown that personal computer printers havedifficulty in printing encrypted bar codes. Both resolution (dots/inch)and positional accuracy seem to be the major limiting factors.Furthermore, the printing technology used is another major factor,specifically when combined with the type of paper the ticket is printedon.

Unfortunately, if a ticket is printed properly on ordinary paper with anencrypted bar code, the ticket can be photocopied, and the seller of theticket will be unable to distinguish between the original real ticketand the photocopied ticket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art bydetermining the printer and paper that are used to print the ticket andallowing the purchaser of the ticket to check the quality of the printedticket. The system will first capture the ticket purchaser's printertype and configuration setting information, paper, ink, or tonercombination and then use the foregoing information to determine if theticket purchaser's computer printer can print an acceptable ticket. Theticket purchaser will also be given an opportunity to print a testpattern so that the purchaser will be able to check the print quality ofthe printer.

If it is determined that an acceptable ticket may be printed, the ticketpurchaser's computer printer (laser printer, ink jet printer, facsimileprinter) will print the ticket. The electronic ticket will containticketing information, an encrypted bar code, and a graphic field. Thegraphic field is designed to produce a “tell”, a visible known image (alarge number of detectable halftone gray steps) when printed by apersonal computer printer. Additionally, the graphic field will changein appearance when the ticket originally printed by the personalcomputer printer is digitally reproduced either by scanning orphotocopied.

The digital scanning and photocopying processes are degrading ones thatreduce the number of detectable halftone gray steps produced in thecopy. These processes also give rise to a pronounced mottle at thetransition zone from white to black that does not exist in the originalprinted electronic ticket. The loss of some of the gray steps in thegraphic field will indicate to an observer that the reproduced ticket iscounterfeit.

This invention takes advantage of the fact that the human eye cannotresolve the individual spots in the intermediate gray zone that issomewhere between white and black. The human eye interprets theintermediate patch of adjacent spots in the gray zone as a particularshade of gray, when, in fact, the adjacent spots in the gray zone areblack spots that vary in size due to process variations introduced bythe photocopying and/or scanning processes. The human eye is verysensitive to slight changes of grayness in the intermediate gray zoneregion. The human eye is very sensitive to minuscule variations in theapparent grayness of the patch. Consequently, the human eye will be ableto observe that the graphic field, or tell, on an electronic ticket willchange in appearance when the ticket originally printed by the personalcomputer printer is digitally reproduced either by scanning orphotocopied. Thus, the human eye will be able to determine when a copiedelectronic ticket is a fake ticket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of an electronic ticket having a graphic field ortell;

FIG. 2 is a drawing of graphic field 21 or tell 21 of FIG. 1 and anenlarged version of graphic field 21 that becomes graphic field 21 a;

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing graphic field 21 a and segments 34, 35 and36 that make up a enlarged version of graphic field 21 a;

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing graphic field 21 and how graphic field 21would be distorted by the photocopying and/or scanning/printingprocesses to look like graphic field 21B;

FIG. 5 is a drawing showing how tickets may be purchased over theInternet; and

FIGS. 6A-6F is a flow chart showing the interaction of the program inserver 53 with the program in computer 50 and the program in controller67.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIG.1, the reference character 11 represents an electronic ticket that maybe used for admission to any place, service, or event that currenttickets allow admission. Electronic ticket 11 may have been produced bya printer coupled to a computer or by a printer of an electronic postagemeter or automatic teller machine (ATM) printer. Ticket 11 includes aserial number 12; the time 13 of the event the ticket holder is entitledto admission; the date of the event 14; the number of people designatedto admit, or the names of the people allowed admission 15; the ticketholder(s) seat number 16; the name of the place of the event 17; theaddress of the event 18; a unique number 19 that represents a computerrecord; a bar code 20, which may be a two dimensional encrypted bar codei.e., the PDF417 standard developed by Symbol Technologies Inc. ofBohemia, N.Y.; a graphic field or tell 21; a proof code or bar code 63that represents the printer settings (printer manufacturer, model no.,resolution, density, etc) of the printer that printed ticket 11; and, anumeric number 64 that represents the printer settings (printermanufacturer, model no., resolution, density, etc) of the printer thatprinted ticket 11. Bar code 20 contains in coded form the name of theplace of the event 17, the address of the event 18, and, a unique number19. Bar code 63 and number 64 may be encrypted. Bar code 63 and number64 may also be used to validate the printer that prints ticket 11.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of graphic field 21, or tell 21, of FIG. 1 and anenlarged version of graphic field 21 that becomes graphic field 21 a.Graphic field 21, or tell 21, is a variable half-tone screen print thatis designed to appear black at its edge 23, near white at its right edge24, and shades of gray in region 25. Section 22 of graphic field 21 isan enlarged version of region 25. Section 22 shows the effect of varyingthe black printed spots 26 and white background 27. White background 27decreases in size from edge 28 to edge 29. Within region 30, whitebackground 27 becomes completely surrounded by black spots 26. Withinregion 32, white background 27 appears to increase in size as oneapproaches edge 28.

Half toning is the process used to produce graphic field 21. Half toningis a technique that is used by printers to represent a gray scale imageon a bi-level (black and white) page. Half toning breaks up an imageinto spots of varying sizes to simulate the original image. The humaneye perceives a shade of gray depending on the percentage of inkcoverage. Black and white laser and ink jet computer printers use ink ortoner of only one blackness. Therefore, to produce various shades ofgray to reproduce a continuous gray scale image, the image is brokeninto a series of spots. Varying the spot sizes approximates the shadesof gray.

Thus, a group of large spots placed closely together appears black. Agroup of smaller spots with larger spaces between them produces a palegray shade. A group of even smaller black spots spaced widely apartwould appear almost white.

Graphic field 21 consists of a continuously varying tone area, a fieldwhere the range of tone has been pre-selected to provide a continuum ofspots that slowly vary from small white backgrounds with large blackspots to small black spots on a white background. “Small” is defined asbeing below the resolution limit of the human eye. When printed by alaser or ink jet printer, graphic field 21 appears black at its edge 23,near white at its edge 24, and shades of gray in region 25.

FIG. 3 is a drawing showing graphic field 21 a and segments 34, 35 and36 that make up an enlarged version of graphic field 21 a. Within region36, white background 38 becomes completely surrounded by black spots 39.Within region 35, white background 39 appears as white open areas at itsleft edge and white squares at its right edge. Within region 34, whitebackground 38 completely surrounds varying size black spots 39.

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing graphic field 21 and how graphic field 21would be distorted by the photocopying and/or scanning/printingprocesses to look like graphic field 21B. The original print tone ofgraphic field 21 is a uniform gray gradient. When graphic field 21 isphotocopied and/or scanned/printed, graphic field 21B will vary fromblack to white. Graphic field 21B will have visible bands 60, a mottledarea 461 and an expanded black tone area 62. Thus, graphic field 21 doesnot look the same as graphic field 21 B.

Laser and ink jet printers would print graphic field 21 as described inthe description of FIGS. 2 and 3. The aforementioned printers aredesigned in a manner such that when they print graphic field 21, graphicfield 21 appears to the average human eye to be free of objectionablevariation. The printers are not concerned with how a photocopy and/orhow a scanned/printed copy of graphic field 21 would look. However, thenon-linear reproduction characteristics of a photocopier and/or ascanner/printer will magnify these non-perceivable process-producedvariations in graphic field 21 and produce graphic field 21B. Thepeculiarities of the human eye further magnify the now visible processerrors. The errors manifest themselves as mottled area 461 in graphicfield 21B, whereas in region 25 of graphic field 21, a smooth gray toneexists.

FIG. 5 is a drawing showing how tickets may be purchased over theInternet. A purchaser wishing to obtain an electronic ticket, inputsinformation through input device 50, which may be a personal computer,or an non-intelligent terminal device, or any other suitable inputdevice, to ticket image control data center 51 via internet 52. Datacenter 51 includes a printer and printing data base 65; an issued ticketimages data archive 66 that is coupled to data base 65; a controller 67that is coupled to data base 65, archive 66 and, ticket mailing process67; and a venue seat data base 68 that is coupled to controller 67. Database 65 contains a list of printers which may successfully print graphicfield 21 and the parameters required for each printer to print graphicfield 21. Archive 66 stores the issued tickets in accordance with theunique number assigned to each ticket. Controller 67 is used to controlthe ticket image production and reproduction of ticket 11, and venueseat data base 68 contains the seats that are being processed fordelivery for each event. Ticket mailing process 67 is used if printer 55cannot print acceptable tickets 11.

Data center 51 communicates with a ticket seller server 53 via internet52 to obtain information as to the availability of suitable eventsconsistent with what the purchaser desires. Server 53 will handle allthe specifics that the ticket entitles one to receive. Server 53 willalso handle the payment for the ticket, i.e., credit card. Server 53includes a seating data base 69, and a controller 70 that is coupled todata base 69. Seating data base 69 contains the seat assignments foreach specific event, i.e., the 3:00 P.M. performance at theater 17.Controller 70 controls the seating process for booking over internet 52and provides a look up for venue ticket reader 71. Reader 71 may be abar code or optical reader that is used to read and validate theinformation on ticket 11. Server 53 also communicates with financialserver 54 and data center 51 to validate payment information. If thepurchaser wants to purchase the ticket(s) that server 53 has availableat the price specified by server 53, and server 54 is satisfied with thepurchaser's credit, server 53 will inform data center 51 of these facts.Data center 51 will compose ticket 11. Data center 51 will download thepurchased ticket(s) to computer 50. Personal computer printer 55 (laser,ink jet, facsimile machine) will print ticket(s) 11.

Graphic field 21, or tell 21, will be printed on ticket 11 as shown inFIG. 1. If ticket 21 is reproduced by photocopying and/orscanning/printing, graphic field 21 will display a mottle image 461, asshown in FIG. 4. Thus, a ticket agent will be able to visualize when aticket is a copy.

FIGS. 6A-6F is a flow chart showing the interaction of the program inserver 53 with the program in computer 50 and the program in controller67. The programs begin in block 99 of computer 50 where a prospectivebuyer indicates that he is interested in ticket choices. Then theprogram goes to block 100 of server 53. Decision block 100 determineswhether or not a seller has received, a new request. If block 100determines that a new request has not been received, the program goesback to the input of block 100. If block 100 determines that a newrequest has been received the program goes to the input of block 101.Block 101 offers venue choices to the buyer, i.e. for what event do youwant to purchase tickets, when do you want to go to the event, to whatlocation do you want to go, what is the price range of seats you want,where do you want to sit, how many tickets do you want to buy, etc. Thenthe program goes to block 102 in buyer computer 50, where the buyermakes the venue choices. After the buyer has made the choices, theprogram goes to block 103, where the buyer indicates that he isinterested in purchasing one or more tickets.

Now the program goes to decision block 104 in server 53. Block 104determines whether or not a buyer has requested to purchase a ticket. Ifblock 104 determines that a buyer has not requested to purchase aticket, the program goes back to the input of block 104. If block 100determines that a buyer has requested to purchase a ticket, the programgoes to the input of block 105 to request information from the buyerregarding how the buyer is going to pay for the ticket. Then the programgoes to block 106 in computer 50 where the buyer provides the requestedpayment information, i.e. issuer of credit card, name on credit card,credit card account number, credit card expiration date, etc. Now theprogram goes back to block 105, where the information provided by thebuyer is collected. Now the program goes to decision block 107. Block107 determines whether or not the buyer has paid for the ticket(s). Ifblock 107 determines that the buyer has not paid for the ticket(s) theprogram goes back to the input of block 107. If block 107 determinesthat the buyer has paid for the ticket(s), the program goes to the inputof decision block 108 in computer 50 and the input of block 109 inserver 53 (FIG. 6B). Block 108 determines whether or not an image ofticket 11 is present. If block 108 determines that an image of ticket 11is not present, the program goes back to the input of block 108.

At this point, block 109 in server 53 transfers user and venue data toticket data center 51, i.e., decision block 112 in data center 51, andsaves the transaction data in block 110 (seating data base 69). Decisionblock 112 determines whether or not a new ticketing request has beenreceived. If block 112 determines that a new ticketing request has notbeen received, the program goes back to the input of block 112. If block112 determines that a new ticketing request has been received, theprogram goes to the input of block 113. Block 113 opens a new recordfile and stores the record in data buffer 68 (FIG. 5). Then the programgoes to block 114 to connect to personal computer 50 and send the ticketissuing screens. Now the program goes to block 115 in computer 50 toprovide the printer and printing information as requested. Then theprogram goes to decision block 116. Decision block 116 determineswhether or not printer data has been input to data center 51. If block116 determines that printer data has not been input to data center 51,the program goes back to the input of block 116. If block 116 determinesthat printer data has been input to data center 51, the program goes tothe input of block 117 (FIG. 6C). After saving the seating data i.e.,price of the seat for a particular place and time, from buffer 69 ofblock 110 (FIG. 6B), the program goes to decision block 111 (FIG. 6F).Block 111 determines whether or not an image of ticket 11 has been sentto computer 50. If block 111 determines that an image of ticket 11 hasnot been sent to computer 50, the program goes back to the input ofblock 111.

As previously mentioned, the “yes” output of block 116 is sent to theinput of block 117 (FIG. 6C). Block 117 stores the printer parameters inbuffer 68 (FIG. 5). Now the program goes to block 118 to obtaininformation regarding the printer from printing and printer data base 65(FIG. 5). Then the program goes to the input of decision block 119.Decision block 119 determines whether or not the printer is capable ofprinting graphic field 21. If block 119 determines that the printer isnot capable of printing graphic field 21, the program goes to the inputof block 121. Block 121 offers the buyer other ticket delivery options,i.e., receive ticket 11 at data center 51 or have the ticket mailed tothe buyer, etc. The buyer then makes new delivery choices in block 122in computer 50. Then the program goes to block 123 to produce anddeliver the ticket to the buyer in accordance with the buyer's selectedchoices. If block 119 determines that the printer is not capable ofprinting graphic field 21, the program goes to the input of block 125.Block 125 obtains information regarding the number of dots per inch theprinter is using from buffer 68 (FIG. 5).

At this point, the program goes to decision block 126. Block 126determines whether or not the printer dots per inch setting is adequateto print graphic field 21 with the printer that is being used. If block126 determines that the number of dots per inch setting is inadequate toprint graphic field 21, the program goes to block 127 to change thesetting. Then the program goes to block 128 in computer 50 where theoperating system of computer 50 or the buyer resets the dots per inchsetting of the printer. Now the program goes back to block 126 in datacenter 51. If block 126 determines that the number of dots per inchsetting is adequate to print graphic field 21, the program goes to block129 in data center 51 (FIG. 6D) to store the printer parameters inbuffer 68 (FIG. 5).

Now the program goes to block 130 to look up the printer exposure inprinting and printer data base 65 (FIG. 5). Then the program goes todecision block 131 to determine whether or not the printer exposuresetting is correct. If block 131 determines that the printer exposuresetting is incorrect, the program goes to block 133 in computer 50 wherethe operating system of computer 50 or the buyer makes the requestedchanges. Now the program goes back to block 131 in data center 51. Ifblock 131 determines that the printer exposure setting is adequate toprint graphic field 21, the program goes to block 134 to look up theoptimum toner/ink setting in data base 65 (FIG. 5). Then the programgoes to decision block 135 to determine whether or not the toner/inksetting is adequate to print graphic field 21. If block 135 determinesthat the toner/ink setting is incorrect, the program goes to block 136to change setting request. Then the program goes to block 137 incomputer 50 where the operating system of computer 50 or the buyer makesthe requested changes. Now the program goes back to block 135 in datacenter 51. If block 135 determines that the toner/ink setting isadequate to print graphic field 21, the program goes to block 140 indata center 51 (FIG. 6E) to open an archive file record in archive 66.Then the program goes to block 141 to compose the image of ticket 11from data buffer 68.

Then the program goes to block 142 to compose and add graphic field 21to the image. Now the program goes to block 143 to compute and add proofcode 63 to image file. At this point, the program goes to block 144 toarchive the image file in issue ticket images data archive 66. Then theprogram goes to block 145 to send the image file and a query screen tocomputer 50. Now the program goes to block 146 in computer 50 to printthe image file and to block 149 to display a request to the purchaserregarding the status of the printed ticket. Then the program goes toblock 150 in computer 50 where the buyer replies with the ticketprinting status. Then the program goes to decision block 148. Block 148determines from the buyer whether or not the image on ticket 11 wasprinted. If block 148 determines that ticket 11 was not printedcorrectly, the program goes to block 123 to produce a ticket and delivera ticket to the purchaser. Then the program goes to block 160. Now theprogram goes back to block 148 in data center 51. If block 148determines that the image was printed, the program goes to block 160 indata center 51 (FIG. 6F) to open an archive file and time stamp a recordclosed.

At this point, the program goes to block 161 to notify seller server 53that ticket 11 has been sent to computer 50 and printed by printer 55.Then the program goes back to the input of decision block 111 in sellerserver 63. If block 111 determines that a image of ticket 11 has beensent to computer 50 by data center 51, the program goes to the input ofblock 156 (FIG. 6F) to record the delivery of ticket 11 and close therecord file. After going to block 161, the program goes to block 162 todisconnect from computer 50. Then the program goes to block 163 todisconnect from computer 53. Then the program goes to block 164 and backto block 112 to wait for a new ticketing request. After going to block157, the program goes to block 100 to wait for a new ticketing request.

The above specification describes a new and improved method fordetermining the printer and paper that are used to print an electronicticket. It is realized that the above description may indicate to thoseskilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of thisinvention may be used without departing from the spirit. Therefore, itis intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for producing electronic tickets,comprising the steps of: checking characteristics of a buyer's personalcomputer printer that is going to print a graphic field comprising aplurality of half tone gray steps on the ticket that will change inappearance when the ticket is reproduced by either scanning/printingand/or photocopying, and printing the ticket on the buyer's printer ifthe checked characteristics are acceptable.
 2. The method claimed inclaim 1, wherein a human eye will perceive the graphic field to varyfrom black to gray to white.
 3. The method claimed in claim 1, whereinthe graphic field is a continuum of spots that slowly vary from smallwhite backgrounds with large black spots to small black spots on a whitebackground.
 4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein the size of thespots are below the resolution limit of the human eye.
 5. The methodclaimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning/printing and/or photo copyingprocess will produce mottle in a gray zone in the graphic field .
 6. Themethod claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning/printing and/orphotocopying processes will produce bands in the graphic field.
 7. Themethod claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket may be orderedover the Internet.
 8. The method claimed in claim 1, further includingthe steps of: recording a test pattern on a material after the checkingstep so that a purchaser will be able to check the print quality of theprinter before the ticket is printed.
 9. The method claimed in claim 1,wherein a characteristic of the printer is the manufacturer of theprinter.
 10. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein a characteristic ofthe printer is the model number of the printer.
 11. The method claimedin claim 10, wherein a characteristic of the printer is the printersettings of the printer.
 12. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein thechecking step further including the step of: determining inkcharacteristics of the ink used to print the ticket.
 13. The methodclaimed in claim 9, wherein the checking step further including the stepof: determining toner characteristics of the toner used to print theticket.
 14. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the checking stepfurther including the step of: determining paper characteristics of thepaper used in printing the ticket.
 15. The method claimed in claim 1,further including the step of: printing the ticket at a data centerprinter if the checked characteristics are not acceptable.
 16. Themethod claimed in claim 15, further including the step of: deliveringthe ticket printed at the data center printer to the buyer.
 17. Themethod claimed in claim 15, further including the step of: having thebuyer pick up the ticket at the data center computer.